Anixa Biosciences, Inc. announced that Jose Conejo-Garcia, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Immunology at Duke University School of Medicine and co-inventor of Anixa's CAR-T technology, will deliver a keynote presentation at the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute 2026 Retreat on March 6, 2026. The conference focuses on cell-based therapies from discovery to translation, making Conejo-Garcia's participation significant for both the scientific community and investors tracking advancements in cancer immunotherapy.
During his presentation, Conejo-Garcia is expected to discuss Anixa's ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of liraltagene autoleucel, known as lira-cel, an FSHR-targeted CAR-T therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer. The therapy was first discovered at The Wistar Institute and is currently enrolling women who have progressed after at least two prior therapies. This clinical trial represents a critical step in developing new treatment options for ovarian cancer patients with limited alternatives.
Anixa's therapeutic portfolio centers on lira-cel, an ovarian cancer immunotherapy being developed in collaboration with Moffitt Cancer Center. The technology uses a novel approach called chimeric endocrine receptor-T cell technology, which differentiates it from other cell therapies. Instead of using an antibody fragment, this technology employs the natural ligand of the FSHR receptor, FSH, to bind to tumor cells. Moffitt Cancer Center is recognized as a world leader in cancer immunotherapy treatments, having pioneered next-generation cell therapies including CAR-T and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.
The company's business model involves partnering with renowned research institutions throughout development stages, allowing for continuous examination of emerging technologies in complementary fields. Beyond its CAR-T program, Anixa's vaccine portfolio includes collaborations with Cleveland Clinic to develop vaccines for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and additional cancers including lung, colon, and prostate malignancies. These vaccine technologies focus on immunizing against "retired" proteins found in certain cancers, with Cleveland Clinic entitled to royalties and commercialization revenues from Anixa.
The significance of Conejo-Garcia's keynote presentation extends beyond academic interest. As co-inventor of Anixa's CAR-T technology, his insights into the ongoing clinical trial provide valuable information about the therapy's development progress and potential clinical applications. For patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, this represents hope for new treatment options when standard therapies have failed. For the biotechnology industry, successful development of this CER-T technology could establish new approaches to cancer immunotherapy beyond traditional CAR-T methods.
More information about Anixa Biosciences can be found at https://www.anixa.com, while details about the press release distribution platform are available at https://www.BioMedWire.com. The full terms of use and disclaimers for content provided by BioMedWire are published at https://www.BioMedWire.com/Disclaimer.
